How I feel when I don’t eat breakfast..
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Monthly Archives: October 2013
Kim Kardashian is Engaged To Kanye West!
Kanye West finally put a ring on the mother of his daughter’s finger,Kim Kardashian on the night of her birthday.
According to E!News,the rapper popped the big question to his longtime girlfriend in front of their friends and family at AT&T Park in San
Francisco.
Kanye, whose Yeezus Tour touches down in nearby
San Jose tomorrow night, rented out the stadium for
the occasion.
Earlier tonight, in fact, Kanye was hanging out with
director Steve McQueen at the 2013
It was just last December that
baby North’s proud papa revealed to an arena full of
people in Atlantic City that he and Kim
were expecting a child together.
They welcomed their daughter on June 15 ,North West made her long-
awaited debut in August when daddy showed off a
picture of her on Kris Jenner’s talk show.
Asked by Kris if he remembered it being “love at first
sight” when…
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(5 hour energy) Guide to 24-Hour Energy
Listen, we all get a little low on gas after lunch. That’s normal. But why does it sometimes feel like you’ve only got two good hours all day? hour-by-hour guide to understanding, preserving, and—yes!— boosting energy.
6:30 a.m.
You are a morning person.
The earlier you wake up, the higher your levels of cortisol, better known as the stress hormone. This chemical can raise focus and productivity—especially if you learn how to harness it.
7:30 a.m.
Let the sunshine in.
Linger in the driveway as you pick up the newspaper, or drink your coffee in the yard. Being out in the sun (or at least in daylight) helps signal the brain to cut off the production of melatonin, the chemical that makes us drowsy.
10 a.m.
Go time.
Ignore the e-mail; postpone your website grazing. That dude enthusiastically retelling the story of his “amazing night”? Kick him out of your office. Your natural circadian rhythms and the boost of energy from a solid breakfast (not McGriddles) make this one of your most productive hours, so it’s an excellent time to actually, you know, work.
10:30 a.m.
Caffeine maintenance.
Here’s the thing: Coffee is fine. Even sleep experts drink it. But it’s a stimulant that is best used in moderation, so any nutritionist you ask will tell you to keep it reasonable. Go with smaller cups—four to six ounces each—and space them out across the day, like the Europeans do with espresso
12:30 p.m.
The things that look best are the worst for you.
Sorry, but if you crave it, it’s probably bad. If you actually want to be conscious after lunch, try a grilled-chicken sandwich and a spinach salad (which is loaded with fatigue-fighting iron). You can never go wrong with fish (unless it’s deep-fried and served as sticks) or a turkey chili that’s thick with beans, which provide a slow drip of fuel over the course of an afternoon, thanks to a healthy balance of protein and carbohydrates.
1 p.m.
Dude, drink.
Dehydration is one of the leading causes of afternoon doldrums—or of shitty feelings anytime—because it decreases blood flow and, therefore, oxygen to the brain. Technically you should be hydrating throughout the day—thirteen cups a day for an average guy. The upside of all that water is you’ll have to get up and move to the restroom more often, and moving is good.
2 p.m.
Rise, young soldier.
Any amount of aerobic exercise can improve concentration by activating brain chemicals like dopamine. There’s an increasingly popular school of thought that we’re only truly effective in bursts and that office workers should be encouraged to take breaks, even if that means leaving the building to go to the gym for a workout. If you only have a half hour, try interval training. Recent studies have shown that extremely intense short-burst exercise (even ten minutes’ worth) can be as effective as a long run—you get the same health benefits and the endorphin high.
3 p.m.
NASA says: Nap!
The average circadian rhythm hits a low at two points in the day: 3 a.m. and 3 p.m. Hence, the afternoon slump. If you have a door or your boss is a progressive type, consider a rest. Even short naps are proven to fight fatigue and increase focus. A NASA study of long-haul airline pilots showed that those who napped for at least twenty-six minutes improved their reaction time by 16 percent, while those who didn’t had a 34 percent deterioration.
4:30 p.m.
Eat an apple.
5 to 6 p.m.
If you didn’t do it earlier, work out now.
Your body temperature typically peaks in the early evening, so your muscles are literally at their warmest now. And according to Karasu, “the machine has to be well maintained.” For this, he insists on regular intense exercise, which he defines as the ability to run 6.7 miles per hour for twenty minutes.
6 p.m.
A beer or two is fine, but more and your sleep is screwed.
Orfeu Buxton, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, has an interesting explanation for why chronic insomniacs and burners of both candle ends are often grumpy and short-tempered. It isn’t just that they’re tired and thus irritable. Rather, the irritation comes from not experiencing enough REM sleep (or dream sleep), a brain function that helps a person “deal with emotions that come up during the day. In absence of sleep, that doesn’t occur.” And the result, he says, is a kind of “post-traumatic stress disorder” that can adversely affect how you interact with others. One of the main disrupters of REM sleep? Too much alcohol, which can also disrupt slow-wave sleep that precedes REM sleep. More than half the entire day’s growth hormone is released during the slow-wave period, and “that accelerates aging if you don’t get it.” And, of course, you’ll feel generally more sluggish.
Good Day xoxo
(Work Out) Fighting Weight: The Jump Rope Workout
If you think skipping rope is only for the playground, think again—it’s your best bet for staying in shape.
When I signed up at a boxing gym earlier this year, I hadn’t skipped rope since first-grade P.E. I remember the girls being better at it than the boys, and I filed the activity in the same mental category as hopscotch and pattycake. But before getting my hands wrapped on my first day at the gym I was sent to the back of the room where another would-be pugilist was jumping rope before a big panel of mirrors. He skipped quickly and nimbly while old Young Jeezy played over the speakers. As I grabbed a speed rope and tried my best to jump it, I looked at the photos of famous fighters above the mirrors and thought about how quickly some of those dudes might rearrange my face if I told them skipping rope is for little girls in pigtails.
I got better at it with each visit to the gym, but I still looked at jumping rope as a warm-up to my actual workout of hitting bags. Then, a few months ago, I learned that my grandpa, a tough ex-Navy motorcycle-riding outdoorsman of a breed that’s all but extinct, used to jump rope in the house when my mom was a kid. That’s when I bought a rope to use at home on days when I didn’t make it to the gym.
Are you still working out?
(Dating) Guide to Online Dating
t’s finally acceptable to find a boo thang (or at least a one-night stand) on the Internet. Here are the new rules, featuring the Workaholics.
1. FIND YOUR SITE
2. YOU’RE ONLINE! NOW GET OVER IT.
3. CHOOSE A NAME
4. Say It With Us: NO MORE BATHROOM SELFIES
5. Just Be Yourself(-ish): THE ART OF THE PROFILE
What are your thoughts?
Share some with me reply: @WhoisRafael on twitter
(Men’s Life) How to Score an Office Wife
From nine to five, she’s the most important person in your life. The woman you exchange knowing looks with when Mitch from Marketing snores during the meeting or freak out to after you hit “Reply All” on a particularly humiliating e-mail.
One of You Ought to Be Married in Real Life
The logic of this one is obvious. If both of you are actively prowling for love, you may well find it. Together. In the stairwell. Or perhaps at one of those superweird office shindigs. This will effect the permanent deterioration of the work marriage and the possible beginning of an office romance—which is an entirely different kettle of grenades.
Of course, a work marriage may float along on a cloud of harmless attraction. Go ahead, partake in some innocent flirting. Enjoy the company, the physical proximity—the scent, even—of a sexually attractive companion. But remember that the prime directive of the work marriage is to bolster stability and comfort in the workplace. Not to introduce chaos.
One of You Should Be Actively Single
What’s more fun to talk about than bad dates, sordid sex, and romantic turmoil? They provide hours of distracting conversational fodder. The smug married gets to live vicariously, to offer sage advice, and to feel primly superior. The singleton—dying to tell someone, anyone, about last night’s exploits involving nine picklebacks, a police chase, and a 22-year-old bartender—has an eager sounding board.
I’m Down with Same-Sex Work Marriages, But They Can Sometimes Be Fraught
Whatever kind of work marriage floats your work boat is A-OK by me. But in my experience, people of opposite genders tend to be a smidge less competitive with each other. They get into fewer pissing matches and spend less time silently comparing shoes.
That said, the most adorable work marriage I’ve ever seen up close paired two straight, married dudes in their fifties. They nagged each other like an elderly couple in a nursing home. And they did it with love. Work soul mates come in all sorts of unlikely packages. It’s God’s way.
Polygamous Work Marriages Are Also a Potentially Complicated Dealie
You may look across the conference table at that happy work marriage between Bob and Sarah and think, “Hey, why don’t I just horn in on that?” Again, I do not judge. Work bigamy could be your cup of tea.
But my general feeling is that every work three-way will end in tears. Jealousy will inevitably blossom the very first time two of you take a cigarette break and leave the third wheel behind. And what if two of you find that you desperately need to gossip about the other member of your troika? Could get awwwkward.
There is, however, a polygamous work sitch that I endorse. I call it the work harem. One man—happily married at home—may be capable of juggling a bevy of work sister-wives at the office. The key is that there are so many wives, it becomes difficult and confusing for any of them to sustain resentment toward any of the others. It is a blur of work fealty. True, the work sultan’s attentions are spread quite thin. But he has plenty of work love to go around. And he is never without a companion when the fire alarm goes off and everyone has to loiter on the curb outside the lobby.
This arrangement works equally well with a “queen bee” structure, in which one lady maintains a buzzing hive of worker-bee dudes. The work boy toys are at her beck and call. They will leap at her command to refill the toner cartridge or to bring her some peanut M&M’s from the snack machine. Each knows his role. The hive is productive.
Never Marry Down (on the Org Chart)
One of the central joys of the work marriage is the abundant opportunity it provides to bitch about co-workers. This is, however, best accomplished when both work spouses exist on a similar organizational plane. They may happily bitch upward about their superiors or bitch downward about their lackeys.
But problems arise when one work spouse outranks the other. Caution may intrude, for instance, on the urge to speak bitchery to power. What if that smarmy manager you despise happens to be an ally of your recently promoted work wife? What if that shiftless underling turns out to be best bros with your less ambitious work husband? A work marriage is most likely to thrive when it is a partnership of equals.
When at Last It Comes Time to Work Woo, Pull Out All the Stops
My work ex-wife had departed, her cubicle left bare. On pins and needles, I awaited the arrival of her replacement hire.
She seemed promising. Ring on her finger, two kids at home. Could be an ideal match. But she rebuffed my day-one offer to walk out for coffee.
I am by no means deterred. And so, little by little, I have been laying the foundation for caring, devoted work matrimony. I am attentive but not too attentive. I hover near her at beer Fridays, not smothering, but prepared to swoop in if the weirdo from Sales starts talking her ear off. I think she notices. Once, she asked me to hand her the bottle opener. I suavely informed her it was a twist-off. This is how it starts.
byeth Stevenson is the author of Grounded: A Down to Earth Journey Around the World.
(Life) With This Prenup, I* Thee** Wed***
If you are having problems with this I’m sure Nene Leakes can help you out with this one. Congratulations! You love me! You’ve even asked me to marry you. We’re not mega-celebrities, and you barely have enough money to cover your share of the rent, yet you think a prenup is in our best interest. I’m not gonna like the idea at first—and some women may never be on board—but if you really can’t help yourself, here’s how and when and why you can convince me this is something we’ve gotta do.
Rule #1: Seriously, Don’t Ask Us for a Prenup
Rule #2: If You Must Do It, Do It Early
People who know these things (lawyers) say more couples are going in on prenups than ever before. This is thanks to a cluster of sociological shifts like the uptick in gay marriages and the now-grown hordes of bitter Gen X’ers who’ve already lived through one awful divorce—their parents’. “And it’s not just the mega-wealthy people doing it anymore,” says one lawyer who specializes in prenuptial contracts. “It’s a lot of normal people, too.”
But you still have to do it right. First things first, have the conversation early, as in way before the wedding date. I’ve actually heard stories of sobbing, shaky-handed brides signing a batch of documents the sheepish grooms sprung on them moments before their march down the aisle. (Word to the wise: Those kinds of “forced” prenups are much less likely to hold up in a court of law anyway. So there.) Really, a discussion should take place before the engagement. When our dude is down on his knee, or suspiciously watching our every bite of restaurant tiramisu—however the proposal happens—we want to know what kind of marriage we’re saying yes to.
My friend Julie’s husband announced on date three that he was a prenup kind of guy. “Before we were ever serious, he mentioned he would never get married without one,” she tells me. “So I was fully aware from the get-go. And I was fine with it.” Think about it this way: If you’re anticipating an open marriage (you know, the kind where you get to fuck lots of people?), you’d maybe mention that before asking your lady to marry you, yes? The same logic applies to asking for a prenup.
Rule #3: Drafting a Prenup—Like Marriage and Baby-Making—Takes Two
Apologies to George Bush emulators, but drafting a prenup cannot be a preemptive, unilateral action. My advice? Sit her down and tell her you want to discuss your and her financial expectations for the marriage. Frame it in terms of what you both want to “share” with each other, instead of leaping directly into what you won’t be sharing. “You have to be really open about it and have an honest discussion,” the prenup specialist advises. “If you can’t do that, you’ll probably have issues in your marriage anyway.” Keep in mind prenups concern future income. Sure, you’re out-earning her $200,000 a year to $50 per blog post now, but one day soon the tide may change. Maybe she’s the one who ends up fast-tracking on a more lucrative career trajectory. Maybe the financial protection does make sense for both parties. Whatever you agree on, you should draft it together. With your lawyers, of course. On that…
Rule #4: Pay for Her Lawyer
You ask her out to dinner; you pay for dinner. She asks you to a movie; she pays for the movie. You ask her for a prenup—the cost of which might be five, ten, or twenty grand for two lawyers? You pay both bills.
Rule #5: Do Not Blame Your Parents
My best friend’s boyfriend wanted a prenup. He had a trust fund. Of like $500,000. He raised the subject one night. She balked. So immediately he reverted to this pussyfooted excuse: “My dad is making me!” That line of reasoning didn’t go over so well. “It made me even madder!” she tells me. “It’s one thing if he owned up to it, but it’s a whole different issue if he’s just blindly obeying his parents. Who wants to marry someone who doesn’t make his own decisions?” Touché. (P.S. They are now happily married with kids and no prenup.)
Rule #6: Don’t Plan on Loading Up Your Prenup with Behavior-Specific Rules
You are not Michael Douglas, and I am not Catherine Zeta-Jones—and neither of us has throat cancer from oral sex (hopefully). You do not get to require me to stay looking 27 years old, and I do not get to allegedly stipulate a cheating clause that requires you to shell out $5 million if you ever stray. Neither would likely hold up in court anyway.
Rule #7: Don’t Just Talk About It— Sign the Damn Thing
Julie’s husband may have mentioned prenups on the third date, but they didn’t actually get around to signing one until the week of their wedding. “We got caught up in our lives and planning the ceremony,” she explains. “But then the week of the wedding, we were negotiating through each other’s lawyers, disguising our anger in ‘lawyerspeak,’ and it was incredibly tense and weird.” The silver lining? “Once mine was signed, I’ve never had to think about it again.”
Rule #8: Consider One Last Time Whether You Really Need This
I just want to drive home the potentially catastrophic consequences (think: Roland Emmerich movie, but in your apartment) of broaching this subject. This could ruin your marriage-to-be. And once it’s out of the bag, there’s no going back. Consider: Do I really need one? Am I an 89-year-old billionaire with a Tony Soprano robe? Is my betrothed a 23-year-old bottle blonde with remote-control boobies named Schmanna Schmicole Schmith?
The truth is—and by the truth I mean my opinion—no one with less than, like, a milli needs a damn prenup. Protecting your impressive paycheck from the woman you’ve chosen to spend the rest of your life with doesn’t bode well. To us ladies, it seems like idiot insurance. That your reasoning is Just in case I mess up. Or worse: She’s in it for the money. Which would make any woman question who, exactly, she’s marrying. When you add up the lawyer fees, the emotional costs, and the potential damage to long-term trust, you might wish you’d just let it ride. Like we do with your cracked-out mother.
(Grooming) How to Buy Cologne at the Mall
Stroll up to most fragrance counters and you’re liable to get sprayed in the face by a pushy salesperson wearing a plastic smile. Here’s a better idea: Master these tactics and find what you wanted in the first place
1. Go It Alone.
You’re not here to find a cologne that will please your girlfriend or your buddy. You’re here to find one that you feel comfortable with.
2. Skip the Deo for the Day.
Wearing strong deodorant or another cologne will confuse your nose. You want an olfactory blank slate for your expedition.
3. Ask the Clerk This One Question: “What’s Your Favorite Scent Here?”
If she robotically reaches for the closest bottle, she’s getting a bonus for pushing that brand. Move on. You want a clerk who will give the question honest thought. Even if you don’t like the scent she chooses, it means this person won’t sell you on Eau de Nostrilburn just for a commission.
4. Act Like Scorsese—Give Lots of Direction.
If you remember only one thing throughout this mission, let it be this: You have the wallet, which means you’re the one in charge. Before the clerk starts shoving bottles in your face, offer up as many guidelines as you can—even if it’s as simple as “I don’t want to smell too sweet” or “Something wintry”—so she can fine-tune her suggestions. No clue what you’re after? Ask to sniff the four new-for-fall colognes in the slideshow above, which cover the key guy-scent categories, and work from there.
5. Shoot Down Any Spritzes Aimed At Your Skin.
Salespeople will tell you that colognes smell different on your body. This is a lie, and a good way to end up wearing something that you hate for the rest of the day. Have them spray scent strips, then sniff-test from there.
6. “No. Nope. No. Maybe. Hell No.”
The clerk’s probably going to drop a cluster bomb of strips on you right away. Say “no” often. She doesn’t make the colognes, she just sells ’em, so no hard feelings. Have her trash the losers immediately, so the scents you do like won’t get lost in a pile of duds.
7. Don’t Be a Label Snob…
Even if a flashy $5,000 Prada suit isn’t your vibe, the brand’s latest cologne might be exactly what you’re searching for. In other words, give everything a fair whiff.
8. …But It’s Okay To Be a Bottle Elitist.
Maybe you don’t want what looks like a phallic fertility idol sitting on your dresser. That’s completely fair.
9. Clear Your Head (And Your Nose).
Narrow your choices down to two samples and take a half-hour stroll. Try on some new shades. Visit your favorite not-yet-extinct music store. You want to give your nose a chance to reset and allow the samples to evolve (because lots of colognes will).
10. Now Take One Last Whiff and Decide: Which Cologne Would You Rather Smell All Day?
Got it? Good. Mosey back to the department store, reward the soul behind the counter with a commission, and hustle out of the mall for some fresh air.
Come to the Bar!
My Top Bar picks….
1. Hudson Grille- http://hudsongrille.com/
It’s just something about this place! If you want to grab a beer and watch any game that is playing this is the spot to be. The ladies at the bar can make some serious DRINKS. (I’ve had my share of lemon drops and shots LOL) When placing a food order it comes out quickly. That’s a plus 🙂 Depending on the night it’s some serious eye candy. Oh! I almost forgot and the bathrooms are clean & have TV’s in them niccce right? I recommend everything on the menu.
2. STK- http://togrp.com/togrp-stk/
Okay yes I know this is a steakhouse, but the bar is the truth! I’m not a big STEAK eater, but hey if you are you are at the right place. This spot will immediately make you feel special. The staff is friendly and takes care of you. The Kobe sliders are yummy! Now the signature drinks are out of this world. Every bartender has a signature drink so ask for it. If you don’t like it try something else. 🙂
3.Cheesecake Factory- http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/
So you like cheesecake huh? Psssst. Did you know that cheesecake factory had a happy menu? No, me either! You’ve gotta keep this top secret because most people don’t even know this. The KEY is you have to ask for the menu. Thank me later. Yes, the portions are smaller, but hey if you are out and just want a snack this would be perfect for you. When I step up in the scene I always feel like a cute Mojito- I hate sucking up the leaves lol.
4. Museum Bar- http://www.atlantamuseumbar.com/
What comes to mind when you hear the name Museum Bar? Well let that sink in… This VENUE is really nice. you can get your life in this place. It features a full service restaurant, bakery, three lounges and signature nightclub.
Yes that was a mouth full. Enjoy a Patron and Pineapple juice while you get your look on.
5. Whiskey Blue-http://gerberbars.com/whiskey-blue-atlanta
This bar will give you life you never thought you had!!!! Up outside of the W Atlanta-Buck-head. The interior design of the lounge, with its modern art deco décor, warm wood paneled walls and low lighting create an intimate, upscale tone for guests looking to enjoy signature cocktails while listening to guest DJ’s spin great music. Adding to the SWANKY atmosphere, images of classic rockers line the walls and beautiful patrons sip their drinks while perching on the comfortable couches scattered throughout. You have to see it with YOUR EYEBALLS.
Thank you are peaking your curiosity!
Rafael xoxo
* The reviews in this article are my opinion.*
This Drug is OK to take everyday!
Exercise.
Ha! What did you think it was. Um hum. Yes please make sure you are exercising daily.
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